Mindfulness Yoga Essay Example

One of the most controversial arguments put forth in chapter fourteen of Purifying the mind is the concept of the Awakening Mind. Awakening Mind is defined as the conscious awareness of a higher dimension of existence best rooted in the consciousness of harmony. The realization is accompanied by the universal positive mind state, happy feelings, connectedness, emotional outpouring of loving kindness, in addition to intense ecstasy (Goodman 612). According to the article, the sense of Awakened Mind has an outpouring lasting effect on the individual and is many a time triggered by a swift change consciousness. Additionally, it is often marked by shock, full acceptance of beauty, trauma, and raising of emotional energy. Accompanied by spiritual awakening, the Awakened Mind has a general transforming impact on an individual. According to the article, Awakened Mind brings forth a conscious awareness of clarity and overall gratitude in addition to outpouring love.

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According to the reasons outlined in the article, Awakened Mind, sets forth how life and living should be in real life situation. It comes with the contentment of "arriving" after a long journey. The argument further posits that the Awakened Mind not only brings forth the feelings of appreciation but also the light of precision and transparency on matters of the mindset. Consciousness thus sets forth an entirely different overview of things seen and unseen (Goodman 623). It brings forth reality and confusions, and illusions made much clearer. The argument put forth further postulate that much of the misperception of everyday living is made much clearer, illusions discarded, and the complete emergence of reality (Bai, Heesoon, & Greg Scutt 113). The revolution that is thus set to be a witness with the spread and acceptance of Awakened Mind is configured to create renewals, fresh and new ideologies, clear paths and perceptual changes not as occasioned by the naked eyes, but by an entirely new evolving attitude.

According to the hypothesis presented, the Awakened Mind is set to detach flawed beliefs, misconceptions, and memories with a new realization of a unique identity. According to Bai, Heesoon, & Greg Scutt (57), The awareness of the original understating is configured to enable many to come to terms with the flawed opinions previously held with nostalgic memories of the changes realized. The greater feeling of practical reality and true beliefs is thus set to enhance the awareness of much more significant things with the appreciation that the world and reality are just the compositions that individuals need to transcend beyond the ordinary human feelings (Bai, Heesoon, & Greg Scutt 132). Realization of the status is a starting point of a more significant aspect of transmission in which persons arriving at the Awakened Mind integrate their lives with their everyday experiences. It thus further becomes a robust and point of reference and critical aspect of individual and psychological makeup. The argument on the Awakened Mind further state that individuals who have risen beyond the ordinary level become enlightened or illuminated although it is not a spiritual elite or experience (Boccio 33). The enlightened mind and the Awakened Mind has the characteristic of rooting themselves in real reality, liberating the individual from dogmas, illusions, ego identification, and low mindset. More profound, the argument postulates that the mentality of an enlightened individual is the base of all humane conditions reflecting and upholding aspects such as compassion, liberty, intrinsic values, honesty, and respect (Boccio 43). Additionally, the individual will also harbor precious values such as empathy, unconditioned love, tolerance, and truth. According to the hypothesis put forth in the article, the above attributes enables the Awakened Mind to experience bliss even in moments the body is in pain. According to Boccio (54), the mind learns to appreciate the inner and more profound realization of reality, welcoming its distractions such as pain without losing the fact behind its more profound meaning.

Rising above the living world relieves one of pain, suffering, and emotive connection with the world. It entails remaining empty to everything and detaching oneself from the emotive connection with the material and worldly objects. However, it does not mean that one is prevented from pain or suffering, it points to the fact that one elevates his or her attention to other pressing issues besides the pain. In the mystery of the Tathagata, Satra argues and recites the actual detachment away from mundane objects with the emotive connections cut off entirely and in a way that resembles cutting off a tree branch from its parent tree (Bai, Heesoon, & Greg Scutt 132). Awakened Mind thus leads one to a state of peaceful existence, non-emotive connections with objects, non-emotive responses, and less pain. It is about rising above human feelings to the realization of higher wisdom, higher experiences, and a more elevated being. Awakened Mind and Life is a state of peaceful existence, attainment of higher intelligence and perfection of higher levels of understanding. According to the argument put forth, Awakened life and Awakened Mind is a concept of the absence of oneself with no connection to intrinsic nature.

The philosophical argument of Awakened Mind and Awakened Life is about purification and cleansing of the body. At the same time, according to Bai, Heesoon, & Greg Scutt (132), it entails letting go of worldly concepts and material things and concentrating on more significant issues. The individual ceases to exist and absolves itself into the spiritual realm. It becomes a wholly spiritual entity with less connection with the material world nor emotional connection. The spiritual connection guides and leads the individual to higher levels of being, best described in the chapter as "internal space element"- an all-pervasive entity uncompounded with the other five elements of nature.

The argument put forth in chapter fourteen shows that the human body and mind can rise above external connection with the world and conquer spiritual realism. In reaching for spiritual connection and rising above all kinds of strategic relationship the human brain attempts to reach out to the "wisdom of the ages," a concept founded on the principles of spiritual deity. At the same time, through the argument, it is possible to meet one's religious Avatar such as Buddha and Jesus (Bai, Heesoon, & Greg Scutt 152). Rising above external objects is one way in which the human mind and body connect with Christian teachers and spiritual deities. At the same time, the argument is intended to show that experiencing God is a phenomenon that can occur in one's life. It is a powerful ecstasy that requires in-depth connection with one's inner self, one in which an individual rise above commonly held fallacies and experiences living in different dimensions.

However, many philosophers such as Adyashanti argue that there is no such thing or road to enlightenment or awakened mind. According to Adyashanti, enlightenment and the awakened concept of the brain is a destructive procedure (Goodman 612). It is a crumbling lie, viewing ideas and life through pretense and the eradication of what is held as truth. It has no benefit to the body nor mind and has more negativity than progress. While many may consider the idea as an intelligent and wise process, it is a destination headed to oblivion in which one tears down and destroys all forms of belief and principles (Bai, Heesoon, & Greg Scutt 132). According to Adyashanti, the actual path of truth and complete acceptance in holding and practicing true notions in spirit and mind. According to Goodman (612), the awakened mind builds false masks, facades with no truth, and absurd ideologies that keep an individual away from the reality. While proponents of the awakened mind hold the belief that the idea of enlightenment enables one to be happy, calm, fulfilled, and positive, antagonists argue that the path to the process of enlightenment is a false concept filled with suffering and sorrow. Many antagonist's beliefs that supporters of the awakened mind derive their conviction from falsehood, religious dogmas, and warped mindset. Similarly, the antagonists argue that people and many individuals prefer the road traveled by the majority. At the same time, according to Goodman (612), opponents of the same maintain that the ability to go against the majority is the number one deciding factor pushing many to the cage of slavery of such ideas. Following the majority to attain happiness, positivity, fulfillment is only a way of polishing one's ego with no inherent benefit in the long run. The path to the awakened mind is a path to nowhere, dead-ends, and no apparent focus ahead. It is the middle of a deep depth of darkness with little or no divine connection. It springs forth emptiness, a definite separation from reality and the acceptance of a tortuous journey to nowhere. While supporters acknowledge that the journey is painful and tedious, antagonists hold the concept of infliction of self-pain that leads the victim to believe that they are engaging in a good spiritual and chary journey.

Conclusion

However, the opposition to the argument put forth would give rise to the concept of self-discovery. Santideva would offer a deep discussion in which he would highlight on the inner self as a complete being that derives its existence and significance from the purification of the mind and body. Santideva would further argue that it is not a journey of the faint hearted but a journey of self-improvement in which one comes alive to discover the truth and the reality of true existence. The connection between spiritual awareness and worldly life would help an individual from losing touch with the reality and the truth of being. Adyashanti's argument is well crafted and is based on intrinsic values within the realm of the society. Similarly, the argument touches on the essential component that helps elevate man's connection to spiritual matters, a theory that is based on truth and reality. It thus means rising above the ordinary knowledge as held by many and concentrating on higher objects and facts.

Works Cited

Bai, Heesoon, and Greg Scutt. "Touching the Earth with the Heart of Enlightened Mind: The Buddhist Practice of Mindfulness for Environmental Education." Canadian Journal of Environmental Education 14.1 (2009): 92-106.

Boccio, Frank Jude. Mindfulness yoga: The awakened union of breath, body, and mind. Simon and Schuster, 2004.

Goodman, Charles. "Consequentialism, agent-neutrality, and Mahayana ethics." Journal of Buddhist Ethics 20 (2013): 612-644.

Goodman, Charles. The Training Anthology of Santideva: A Translation of the Siksa-samuccaya. Oxford University Press, 2016.